Jaypaw and Poppypaw, change
by runningfern
Summary: Jaypaw is getting ruder towards his warrior ancestors, so when he has a big fight with Poppypaw, they find the oppurtune moment to teach him more than respect for Starclan. Prehaps minor JayxPoppy
1. arguments

Jaypaw scowled, it was so unfair, all the other cats treated him differently, as if he was still a helpless kit. But he wasn't helpless – he was an apprentice!

He snorted at the thought, _as if_. No, he was a medicine cat apprentice, and he had to convince everyone it was the best thing this side of Starclan, and he enjoyed it. But he couldn't even convince himself that, it was total and utter fox dung.

All he did was stay in camp, sorting leaves and berries, he had to look after the elders and act oh-so kindly towards the clan. Well they could go choke on crowfood for all he cared; he hated being a medicine cat, being blind and having to talk to his stupid warrior ancestors.

He stared grumpily into a pool of water on the ground, seeing his reflection staring back at him, with cloudy blue eyes and scrawny black shoulders – ugh!

A familiar scent shrouded him, putting him in a worse mood, "Go away, Spottedleaf, I hate you, and all of Starclan," he mewed, keeping his gaze down.

"Jaypaw," her voice stung his ears, even though it was a tuneful as a birds, "You are a medicine cat! Stop this behaviour, or we will have to stop it for you."

Jaypaw smirked at the threat, "Just try!"

As the forest around him faded into darkness, he felt a light drizzle splatter on his pelt, so he was back then.

As he went about his normal medicine cat tasks, loathing every minute, he began to wonder _exactly_ what Spottedleaf had meant, how could a bunch of dead cats _make_ him respect them?

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The camp was wet with the drizzle, unusual for this time of the year, as Poppypaw padded out of the apprentice den. The wind ruffled her fur, but the edge had gone from it and it was only a warm breeze now.

The apprentice gave a big stretch and checked the sun – sunhigh. She winced, feeling slightly guilty that she had slept so late, but Thornclaw would have woken her if she were needed.

Poppypaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile, sniffing at the prey. She chose a mouse and settled down to eat it, hungrily swallowing it in a few bites. After eating, she felt more awake, and decided to see what the other apprentices were doing.

Padding back into the den, she saw her sister, Honeypaw curled up, tail over her nose. Poppypaw prodded her with a foot, trying to wake her.

"No, Sandstorm, not more hunting! Nooooooo!"

"Shhh," mewed Poppypaw, "It's me, not Sandstorm, you daft furball!"

Honeypaw blinked her eyes open, "Oh, what do you want?" she mewed.

"Where are the other apprentices?" asked Poppypaw, checking there were no more cats sleeping in the den.

"No idea," Honeypaw mewed, yawning, "Is that all? I need more sleep."

The light brown cat rolled over, proving her point as her breathing evened out.

Poppypaw licked her shoulder, then reversed back out of the den, blinking in the sunlight.

Glancing round the camp, she couldn't see any of the apprentices, or smell them. _There might be some in the elders den_, she thought, and padded over.

Mousefur and Longtail looked up at her then lowered their gaze disinterestedly.

Poppypaw looked around, seeing if any of the others were lurking in the shadows, but she couldn't see any.

"Have you seen that Jaypaw?" rasped Mousefur, irritated, "he said he'd do our ticks, but he isn't here!" she sighed as Poppypaw shook her head, "Well, go tell him to come!" mewed the old brown she-cat, "and hop to it, I've got one just where I can't reach it."

Poppypaw hurried out and over to the medicine cat's den.

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Jaypaw scuffed up the dirt with his paw, he could tell by the sun's warmth that it was sunhigh already and he still hadn't done the elders' ticks.

Groaning inwardly he started to sniff out the mouse-bile, when he caught Poppypaw's scent, and a few heartbeats later heard her pawsteps approaching.

"Jaypaw," she mewed, her voice like grass in a greenleaf breeze, "The elders wanted to know if you were ready to see to their ticks?"

Jaypaw's thoughts blackened, "Tell them to do it their self, those mangy cats, always fussing, do my ticks, Jaypaw, I'm cold, Jaypaw, What about my bedding, Jaypaw? Jaypaw, Jaypaw, Jaypaw! Well, I'm sick of it, you do it!"

He heard a gasp from Poppypaw, but he didn't care, why did he have to look after the elders like a _normal_ apprentice? He was the medicine cat apprentice! Not by choice, either. He'd give anything to see, to be able to race through the forest without fear of trees, to stalk prey without worry. _I hate my life_! He shrieked inwardly.

"Go on, take it yourself!" he spat.

He felt Poppypaw's warm gaze harden, "Fine," she sniffed, an edge to her voice, "Good luck when Leafpool finds out."

Jaypaw glared at her retreating figure, until he couldn't hear her anymore, then curled up, feeling wretched.

A scent filled his nostrils, and he shook his head angrily to clear it, "You can't visit me when I'm awake, you mangy furball," he hissed, knowing it was Spottedleaf, "Come back at night."

He heard fur swish as the tabby cat's head shook from side to side, "Jaypaw, maybe life is unfair, but it is your duty to care for all the clan as if they're your kits."

Jaypaw snorted. Kits? Toms didn't have kits! "I'm a tom!" he spat indignantly.

"Yes, and Tom's still have kits, they just don't give birth to them," Spottedleaf snapped, gentle tone gone, "Now, I know you are blind, but that does not mean you didn't have to be a warrior…"

Jaypaw cut her off with a hiss, "Yes, it does, you said so yourself!" he mewed, "Now leave."

With that, he stuck his paws into his ears to keep out the voice of the infuriating cat.


	2. changes

Poppypaw opened her eyes, looking around dreamily, it was still dark, so dark she couldn't see the other apprentices, or feel them. Surely they couldn't be out already?

"Get up," mewed a voice in her ear, "It's late enough already, you can't just sleep in, you have duties."

Poppypaw recognised Leafpool's voice. _Leafpool's_? What was the medicine cat doing in her den, and how could it be late already? It was dark as a fox hole.

Sniffing the air cautiously, she smelt the bitter smell of herbs and heard a dripping of water; she was in the medicine cat den! But she wasn't ill, was she?

Frowning, she propped herself up.

"Don't scowl at me," mewed Leafpool, voice hard, "Come on. And you'd better do _all_ your duties today, not just the ones you want to do."

Poppypaw shook her head, was she hearing right? She'd hunted, gone on a patrol _and_ done the elders ticks yesterday, the latter which was not her duty to do.

"Jaypaw, move it!"  
_Jaypaw_?! Poppypaw jumped up, she wasn't Jaypaw! She was about to point out what stupid an idea it was, when she realised, it was true, she didn't feel right, like her tail was too short and her fur was too thin, as if her leg muscles were small, but she could hear and smell and taste much better. But not see.

Understanding hit her – she had become the blind medicine cat apprentice! Surely she was dreaming? But Leafpool's voice, the warmth of the sun, her blindness, it was all too real!

"No!" she gasped.

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Jaypaw yawned, not bothering to open his eyes for a few heartbeats. A curious colour of orange washed over his eyelids – what was happening? All he ever saw was black! He couldn't think what had happened, unless he had woken up to a dream, but then, it didn't feel like a dream. He opened his eyes to see Hollypaw beside him, and Berrypaw sat a little way off, talking to Thornclaw, at the mouth of the bush. The bush – was he in the apprentices den again? But he was a medicine cat apprentice! He slept near the medicine cat.

Screwing up his face he thought, how come he could see and was in the apprentice den? Had his sight been cured? It must have! Jaypaw wanted to give out a yowl of joy, this was the only thing he had ever really wanted – and he had it! He could see his sister's pelt, and Berrypaw's kittypet markings. For the first time in the waking world, he looked down at his paws – and nearly fell over! They were tortoiseshell!

But, surely he was a black tabby? Wasn't that the reflection he'd seen just the night before?

He turned to his side, seeing more tortoiseshell pelt, and a white underbelly.

"Poppypaw!" called Thornclaw, flicking his tail in Jaypaw's direction, "come on, dawn patrol."

Jaypaw glanced around; Poppypaw wasn't in the den, so why was Thornclaw yowling at _him_?

Hollypaw blinked open her eyes, looking around, "Hey, Poppypaw," she mewed smiling at Jaypaw.

"Are you coming or not?" Thornclaw demanded.

Jaypaw realised they must be mistakening him for the tortoiseshell apprentice; surely they could scent it wasn't her?

He sniffed a paw, only to smell, not his scent, but Poppypaw's!

He frowned, then realisation struck – he was Poppypaw! Or rather, was in Poppypaw's body!

Jaypaw glanced up, seeing Berrypaw and Thornclaw were watching him intently, waiting for his answer, "Uhhh, sure, yeah, I just want to see Pop- I mean, Jaypaw first, I need to apologise for an argument we had yesterday," he explained.

Thornclaw nodded his approval, "It's good to know you don't bear a grudge Poppypaw."

Jaypaw nodded, then padded out into the main camp, looking around at the step-sided hollow with awe. Surely he couldn't have fallen down one of those walls and survived? But he had, and it was Spottedleaf who had helped him. He felt guilt prickle his pelt, but he shrugged it off and padded into the familiar medicine den.

He saw his body, occupied, he hoped, by Poppypaw, cleaning out the nests in the cave.

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Poppypaw looked up at the sound of approaching pawsteps, then remembered she couldn't see.

"Hello, Poppypaw," mewed Leafpool's warm voice, "what can I do for you?"

Poppypaw started at the sound of her name, then realised it must be Jaypaw in her body. With a long sniff she identified her scent.

"Hello Jay- err, Poppypaw," she mewed coldly, not forgetting how he'd spoken to her yesterday."

"Hello Jaypaw," came the reply from Jaypaw-in-her-body.

Poppypaw heard him turning, to Leafpool, perhaps. A check of her new mentor's position confirmed her guess.

"I just wanted to talk to Jaypaw about yesterday," mewed Jaypaw-in-Poppypaw's-body, "we fell out, I want to make up."

"Okay," mewed Leafpool, and Poppypaw felt the medicine cat's cold gaze on her black pelt, making her fur prickle. "And I hope Jaypaw wants to apologise too."

Poppypaw dipped her head, glowering at the ground; it wasn't fair that she was being made to take that furball's punishment, because he had been horrid to her.

She felt a pelt brush her own, familiar – hers!

"Look, I don't know what's happened," Jaypaw-in-her-body mewed, "but we'll find a way to switch back, okay?"

Poppypaw scowled, "It's all your fault, you rotten mousedung!"

She sensed Jaypaw-in-her-body tense, then relax again, probably biting back a sharp retort, "Look, I'm sorry!" he hissed.

Poppypaw nodded grudgingly, "I guess we'll have to play the part in the meantime," she commented dryly. She was not looking forward to it; she couldn't tell watermint from dock without seeing it.

Then she wondered how Jaypaw would cope, he didn't even know the territory, and he was on dawn patrol!

"Good luck with the patrol," she mewed, a little less icily.

"You too," he mewed, getting up and leaving.

"Come on then, Jaypaw," came Leafpool's mew, "time for you to clean out the elders."

Poppypaw rolled her eyes, but got up to do it, she'd give anything to be on dawn patrol now instead of doing this, she was starting to see what Jaypaw didn't like about it, but she was sure it could be quite fun at times, especially when speaking with Starclan. She wondered whether they'd be switched back before the half moon, she wasn't sure if it was possible to conceal your true identity from Starclan themselves.

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It felt so good to be patrolling through the forest with Berrypaw, Thornclaw and Brambleclaw – he felt free, and easily kept pace with the older cats, in Poppypaw's body he could run faster than he ever could without sight, he could see every tree in his way, and could swerve to avoid it easily with a lean, athletic and well-muscled body like Poppypaw's.

"We'll have a hunt when we get to the Sky Oak, then follow the Windclan border," ordered Brambleclaw, leading the way. Jaypaw's stomach twisted, how was he going to hunt, it took more than a skilful body to do that, he needed a well trained mind, something that he didn't have.

The sun was half way to its peak when the cats halted at the Sky Oak, the towering tree making Jaypaw gasp. It was enormous!

"Berrypaw," mewed Brambleclaw, motioning to his apprentice, "what can you smell?"

The apprentice drew a breath of air, opening his mouth to get a fuller scent, "Us, trees, Windclan and…mouse!"

Jaypaw cast around for the prey, but without his expert nose, he couldn't locate it. Berrypaw paused for a heartbeat, then pounced on a fallen leaf. But it wasn't a leaf at all!

Berrypaw grinned smugly and settled down to eat it.

"Very good," Brambleclaw complimented, and Jaypaw felt a sting of envy, his father had never complimented _him_.

"Your go, Poppypaw," mewed Thornclaw, flicking his tail at Jaypaw. He scented the air, but he couldn't smell a thing! All the scents were so weak and so jumbled, how did cats cope with scenting this watered down take of the smells around them?

He concentrated hard, and after a long while mewed, "Thrush, in the first branch of the tree, and a vole, I think, in that grass."

He pointed a paw towards the clump of grass that the scent was coming from.

Thornclaw nodded, "I'd try for the vole if I were you," he mewed.

Jaypaw dropped into a clumsy crouch; even with the right body he didn't know which muscles to tense and which to relax.

"Get your rear down!" hissed Thornclaw, pressing Jaypaw's back down with a paw, "You've been an apprentice for long enough to hunt properly, or have you learnt nothing from me?"

Jaypaw was about to retort that he hadn't, when he remembered Poppypaw had, and he was Poppypaw until they switched back.

Frowning he lowered his rear and dragged himself forwards, paws light on the ground.

Just as he got near, the grass rustled, and out shot the vole – it had heard him. He let out a hiss of annoyance and swiped at it with a paw, not expecting to land a blow. Luckily, he caught it by its tail, and had a chance to place the other paw on its back, hearing the snap of its spine.

Thanking Starclan, Jaypaw picked it up, looking at Thornclaw.

"That was more luck than skill," the warrior hissed, "but at least you caught it."

Again Jaypaw felt envy, why was he always the worst at everything? Even with sight he was totally useless, why did he even bother?

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	3. worries

Poppypaw heard Jaypaw before she scented him. _Oh dear_, she thought, _he must be in a rotten mood_!

The apprentice was stomping heavily, undoubtedly muddying _her_ body with all the dust he must be kicking up. In a storm of anger he stomped into the medicine den where she was supposed to be mixing heather with some herb or another, the only problem was, she had no idea which herb was which or how to mix them.

"Hi Jaypaw," she mewed, remembering Leafpool was out collecting coltsfoot, so she could call him by his real name.

"I hate being you!" he growled, sitting down heavily, "I think I hate it even more than being me, Thornclaw is treating me like a kit!"

Poppypaw snorted, "I hope you haven't got me into trouble?" she asked, praying to Starclan that even this insensitive furball wasn't that stupid.

"No," he hissed moodily, "but if Thornclaw carries on…"

He stopped as Leafpool's scent drifted into the den, and stood up. Pushing out of the cave he called back loudly, "Thanks for getting that thorn out Jaypaw!"

Poppypaw sighed, she had wanted to ask him how to mix these dumb herbs, but he was gone now, she'd have to ask Leafpool and be told off. Again. Really, everyone wanted to be a medicine cat, but she didn't recommend it; the duties were so dull compared to hunting. But then, it was satisfying when she had made seen Mousefur fall asleep from _her_ poppy seed, and the thorn come out of Sandstorm's foot because of _her_. It felt good to help her clan mates in more ways than hunting and fighting. And she hadn't even spoken to Starclan yet, surely that would be an awesome experience? If she was really the medicine cat's apprentice, that was.

Her heart sunk, what would Starclan say, would they see her as an intruder? Would they even let her share tongues with them? What if, because she'd swapped with Jaypaw, she single paw-edly ruined the whole clan?

She shuddered at the thought.

"Jaypaw, it isn't that cold!" mewed Leafpool, "do you have a fever, because I don't want it getting around the clan!"

Poppypaw shook her head, "no, I just caught a, um, draught, I think. That's all," she mewed. Of course, it was easy enough to lie to Leafpool, but she couldn't tell herself she wasn't scared.

Without eyes she couldn't even see what stage the moon was in, how long did she have?

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Jaypaw woke to the sound of breathing in his ear. Opening his eyes he saw Cinderpaw sitting on one of his paws and staring straight at him, "get up sleepy head! We're doing battle training," she mewed excitedly.

Jaypaw rolled over, annoyed at the apprentice for squashing his paw, what right did she have? They hardly knew each other! Then he remembered, she was his sister for the time being, and sisters did tend to squish you. He shot an annoyed look at Hollypaw, still asleep, remembering having her and Lionpaw sat all over him, just because they could. But to be fair he had sat all over them in return.

"So are you getting up today?" asked Cinderpaw, jerking Jaypaw back to the present.

"Yes, yes," he mumbled, standing up, shaking the scraps of moss off his pelt. "Are we in the training hollow?" he asked, trying to remember where it was. Even though it had been three sunrises since he'd started being an apprentice again, he still found it hard to remember where everything was.

Cinderpaw nodded, "come on!" she mewed, "Thornclaw and Cloudtail are waiting."

Jaypaw followed her out of the den, blinking in the sunlight. It was strange to think that less than a moon ago he couldn't even see the sun, let alone the sunlight!

The two apprentices met with their mentors by the fresh kill pile to have a meal before setting out.

"We're going to be working on that pinning move," mewed Cloudtail, greeting them with a wave of his tail, "so don't eat too much or you may not be able to wriggle out!"

_Mrrrow _purred Cinderpaw in amusement, flicking her mentor with a tail as she pulled a sparrow out of the fresh kill pile. "Want to share, Poppypaw?" she asked happily, nudging the prey forwards.

Jaypaw sat down next to her, "thanks," he mewed, taking a bite.

When the sparrow was finished, Thornclaw and Cloudtail stood up, stretching in the sunlight. Then the cats padded out of camp, walking through the forest.

Once again Jaypaw marvelled at how easy it was to walk when he could actually see the trees, and didn't have to follow other cats scent trails to find a place. It was true, he was a bad apprentice and hated the sudden degrade of scenting, sensing and hearing, but being Poppypaw did have it's upside.

At the training hollow, Jaypaw and Cinderpaw made their way to the middle, paws scuffing up the sandy earth into billows of dust. Thornclaw padded over, Cloudtail just behind him.

"Poppypaw, you can go first," mewed Thornclaw, "First, you try to pin me, when I get free, I'll pin you, okay?"

Jaypaw nodded, crouching with his belly to the earth. Letting his gaze flicker to a falling leaf he tried to think of the best way to pin a cat bigger than him. Perhaps a surprise attack? Or maybe that head-ducking move Hollypaw loved so much?

Thornclaw made a slight hissing noise, as if he was getting impatient. "In a battle, I'd have flayed you by now, Poppypaw, hurry up before I die of old age!"

Jaypaw decided to try and get underneath Thornclaw.

Cautiously he padded forwards, eyes looking into Thornclaw's. Carefully he came within a tail-length of his "mentor", then shot under him.

Jaypaw remembered being in the nursery, and Daisy's fur. When he and his littermates had got close, it had tickled his nose, or his belly, and made him want to collapse.

Sheathing his claws, Jaypaw ran his tail near the back of one of Thornclaw's legs. The warrior wriggled, trying to get away, and at the apprentice without squashing him.

Suddenly Thornclaw collapsed, and Jaypaw pushed his head up, clinging onto Thornclaw's belly fur. The warrior rolled over, trying to wriggle his legs free, but Jaypaw was already pinning him, holding hi down! He was beating Thornclaw!

Then Thornclaw just stood up, like that, "Don't loose focus," he mewed, "or your opponent will get out and eat you!"

Jaypaw felt his pelt burning with embarrassment, and he lowered his face. Just as he thought he might be able to impress his mentor, and he'd screwed it up.

"Anyway, it's my go," the warrior continued, and Jaypaw braced himself for the pin. How was he going to get out? Maybe he'd have to make sure Thornclaw got distracted like he had.

Thornclaw ran at Jaypaw, bowling him over, even though the apprentice had dug his claws into the earth.

He felt a heavy weight press down on him as Thornclaw pinned him, holding his legs down on either side. Jaypaw instantly wished for his old body, it would have been easier to wriggle out if there was less of him to hold onto. But he wasn't in his body; he was in Poppypaw's and had to deal with it.

Trying to think like a warrior, he tried going limp, but Thornclaw knew that trick and just pressed harder.

Jaypaw frowned – what could he do? Could he do anything? No. If he were in a real battle he would have been ripped to shreds already. He may have had a warrior's body, but not a warriors mind. What was he going to do? Live the rest of his life stuck like this, as a terrible warrior. A _she-cat_?

_Why, Starclan_? He asked the sky, but it didn't help, and Thornclaw was still on top of him, waiting for a move to be made.

Jaypaw tried wriggling out – no use. He tried tickling again, but Thornclaw was ready for that and recoiled before he could.

Jaypaw shot out triumphantly, yowling a caterwaul. He'd done it!

Cloudtail padded over, eyes smiling. "So, you're ticklish are you, Thornclaw?" he asked, wiggling a paw at the other warrior. Thornclaw sniffed, "No, I let her win."

Cinderpaw purred, coming over, "sure," she mewed cheekily, "well done Poppypaw, you've found his weakness, but don't sell it out to Shadowclan! Imagine what they could do with a pawful of feathers!"

Jaypaw tried not to, but found himself laughing anyway, "you're go now!" he mewed.


	4. solution?

"Jaypaw," mewed a familiar voice, a voice Jaypaw hadn't heard since he'd changed bodies, "Jaypaw, wake up."

Jaypaw blinked his eyes open, looking around. With surprise, he realised he was in Starclan's hunting grounds, everything as bright and clear as it was when he was in his own body. Finally he could scent and hear and see just as he had before!

He remembered the voice, and whirled around to see Spottedleaf sitting beside him, "hello Jaypaw," she mewed, "it's good to see you again."

Jaypaw glared at her, "did you do this to me?" he spat, furious, he already knew the answer.

"You did it to yourself," replied Spottedleaf, smiling.

Jaypaw had forgotten just how annoying she was, how she spoke in riddles and didn't answer his questions.

Glaring down at the floor, he noticed his paws. They were dark grey. Tabby. He was him again!

"You've changed me back!" he yowled in joy, "I'm me again!"

But Spottedleaf was shaking her head, "no, Jaypaw, this is only a dream. I cannot change you back, only you can do that."

Jaypaw's eyes widened in disbelief, "then tell me how you mouse-brain!" he yowled, fur standing on end and claws unsheathing.

Suddenly his vision started to fade, a blackness washing in front of his eyes.

"No!" he yowled, trying to wake back up, Spottedleaf hadn't answered him yet, what was he going to do? _What _was he going to do?

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"Well, Jaypaw," mewed Leafpool, "you certainly aren't getting any better at this."

Poppypaw burned inside, of course she wasn't, she wasn't the stupid medicine cat apprentice, she didn't have the knack to sort herbs or remember symptoms. And she definitely _couldn't_ dress a simple scratch.

"Come on," she mewed, "have one more go, Berrypaw needs it."

And why did Berrypaw need it? Oh, because he was allowed out of camp, unlike her, because he was still training, unlike her, because he was actually _helping_, unlike her. Poppypaw was sick of it! She resented being stuck in this mangy, scrawny, blind body, she wanted to shred the nagging Leafpool and most of all, she hated Jaypaw's guts for causing this to happen!

It was all his fault; she knew it, yet it was her being punished. She was the one stuck in camp, she was the one being bored to her wits end. And what was he doing? Fighting, hunting, having fun. What would happen if she had to stay like this forever? Was it possible to die of sheer boredom? Surely it was.

"Jaypaw?" asked Leafpool, nudging her with a paw.

Poppypaw was jerked back to the present. Sighing, she picked up the cobweb in a paw and tried to make it stick to Berrypaw's pelt.

She felt Berrypaw recoil, she was obviously just hurting him, why couldn't she do it? And how come Jaypaw could?

"Sorry," she mewed, pressing more lightly. Finally the cobweb stayed, she hoped it was right, but without being able to see, Poppypaw couldn't tell if she'd even put it on the right leg. Or the right cat, even.

A new scent reached her nostrils. Who was it? What was she thinking, it was Jaypaw! She couldn't even remember her own scent anymore, perhaps it would be better to just curl up and hope something would change. Or that she'd die. At least, if she was with Starclan, she might have her own body back, and more importantly, her sight.

"Hi, Jaypaw," mewed Poppypaw's voice, "I was just going out into the forest to hunt, and I wondered if you wanted any herbs?" She heard him turn to Leafpool, waiting for an answer.

"Why doesn't Jaypaw come with you?" asked Leafpool, "he can show you some of the herbs to collect, in fact, I think he'll rather enjoy being out of camp."

Poppypaw nodded, trying to look as enthusiastic as possible, it was obvious that Jaypaw wanted to talk to her in private, perhaps about how they were going to get back to normal.

"I'd love to go," mewed Poppypaw, turning to where she thought her body was, "it's very kind of you to offer," she added, not wanting Leafpool to lecture her on politeness.

"Okay, Poppypaw, but can you be back by sunhigh? Jaypaw, you know what herbs are low?"

Poppypaw nodded, hoping she could remember some, a voice in her ear mewed, "don't worry, I can still smell what we need to collect!"

Poppypaw nodded, feeling his whiskers brushing hers, pelts touching. For a moment her heart refused to beat, then Jaypaw pulled back as if she'd just clawed him, "let's go," he mewed in a gruff voice.

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The forest smelt fresh and clear, as if it had rained in the night, and the earth underneath Poppypaw's pads was damp and mossy. Opening her mouth, she tried to catch a scent of prey or herbs, but all she could smell was earth and Jaypaw. She could hear his breathing rasping ahead of her and felt his tail brush lightly against her whiskers. Or her tail.

Jaypaw stopped, Poppypaw nearly crashing into him as he did, "sit down, we need to talk," he mewed, paws pressing down a bed of leaves to sit in, their bitter sap smell biting Poppypaw's tongue.

She sat down, crushing more leaves underneath her – ferns. "Okay," she mewed, blinking in his direction.

She heard him shuffle back a bit, as if he didn't want to sit too close to her, did she smell or something?

"Did you have an idea about how we'll change back?" she asked excitedly, she couldn't wait to be back as _her_, if she did smell it was because she was in _his_ body.

Jaypaw half snorted and half sighed, "Spottedleaf came to me," he mewed, "and told me only we can change ourselves back. Which is helpful. Starclan are so cryptic, they never give you a strait answer!"

"It's about three sunrises until the half moon, right?" she asked, thinking aloud, "So you could follow the medicine cats! Do you think us both being at the moon pool would help?"

Jaypaw snorted again, "maybe."

Poppypaw prickled, why was Jaypaw always so pessimistic and grumpy, he wasn't even blind at the moment! Of course, blindness wasn't even an excuse, she was blind right now and it didn't affect her.

"Well, let's try it anyway, it doesn't hurt to have some enthusiasm," she added pointedly.

She felt Jaypaw's eyes scowling at her, really, that tom was so infuriating!

"Whatever," he mewed.

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It was nearly sunhigh when they returned to camp, and as Poppypaw dragged a mouthful of borage leaves into the medicine den she felt the sun warming her pelt. Jaypaw's pelt. It was strange how she was starting to think of his life as hers lots, would her life seem strange when she became herself again? Would she even be able to do normal apprentice duties like she used to?

"Is that you, Jaypaw?" called Leafpool anxiously from inside the cave. Poppypaw pushed through, greeting her mentor with a wave of her tail. "Is that what you wanted?" she mewed through the herbs, dropping them as the spoke.

Leafpool padded over and sniffed, "Borage, just what we needed, well done!"

Poppypaw added the herbs to the (very low) pile they belonged in.

A pair of voices reached her from the tunnel, Lionpaw and Cinderpaw. Poppypaw could smell their excitement, and from the smells of them they'd just been on a hunting patrol. They also had a rabbit that they were dragging between them.

"Wow!" exclaimed Leafpool, "that is one big rabbit, who caught it?"

"I did," mewed Lionpaw smugly, "it's almost as big as me!"

Poppypaw padded over and prodded the prey with a paw - it definitely felt plump! How she wished she'd been on that hunting patrol. Or any hunting patrol. She sighed.

"Well, Ashfur said to bring it here," mewed Cinderpaw, "although I'm sure you wont eat it all," she added hopefully.

Leafpool purred in amusement, "of course you can have some, Cinderpaw." Poppypaw felt an emotion coming from Leafpool; she could taste it almost – like fear-scent, but not scared. Regret?

She wrinkled her nose, how could she know what the medicine cat was thinking, she must be going mad.


	5. end

**Sorry it took so long!**

Jaypaw fell into the hunter's crouch, drinking in the smells of the forest. He was getting better at hunting now, and was having his first assessment ever. It was three sunrises since his talk with Poppypaw; tonight they would be going to the moon pool to see if Starclan would switch them back. Jaypaw snorted, scaring off a mouse he had been tracking, the day Starclan did something useful he'd see a flying hedgehog! No, this was something they'd have to figure out themselves, he was sure of it.

A flash of brown entered his vision, and he heard a slight crackling of twigs. _Mouse dung!_ He thought angrily, now Thornclaw had seen him frighten off the mouse. Scowling, he detected a bird scent.

Pulling himself lightly across the ground he tracked it to a tall oak tree. On the ground a blue bird was pecking for worms, unaware of Jaypaw's nearness.

Jaypaw leapt through the air, onto it's back, then stopped – he had caught a Jay, he was sure of it, but now all that was grasped between his paws was a dead poppy head. He hissed; the bird must have flown off so fast he hadn't realised.

Scolding him self, he spat the poppy onto the ground with contempt; he really had to focus more.

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The sun was dropping back to the horizon when Jaypaw finally dragged the last of his catch back into camp. In an effort to make up for the mouse and the jay he had caught a rabbit and a squirrel whilst he was sure Thornclaw was watching him.

The brown warrior was waiting by the fresh-kill pile for him. Jaypaw raised his tail in greeting and dropped a thrush onto the pile, "that's the lot," he mewed, sitting down.

"You hunted well today, Poppypaw," Thornclaw mewed, "but you need to be quieter when stalking mice, you can't just sneeze halfway through!"

His eyes glinted with humour. Jaypaw bit back a sharp retort as Thornclaw carried on, "And as for pouncing on that poppy, focus on the task, you can play after you've hunted."

Jaypaw scowled at his paws, "It's not my fault the jay got away," he muttered.

"Jay?" asked Thornclaw, "I haven't seen a Jay all moon! What on earth are you talking about?"

Jaypaw looked at him, confused. Hadn't Thornclaw seen the Jay? Surely he'd been watching then.

An idea struck Jaypaw – maybe the jay hadn't been there at all, maybe it was something only he could see, a jay that turned into a poppy. Was this a sign that being at the moon pool tonight would actually work? He hoped so!

Just as he was about to drag a mouse off to apprentices' den, he noticed Leafpool and Jaypaw – no, _Poppypaw_ – leaving the camp. They were going already!

Swiftly, he followed them out, taking the familiar route to the moon pool. Soon he would have his body back. Ahead of him, he could hear Poppypaw chattering nervously to Leafpool, although he couldn't quite make out the words.

A faint tang of fear-scent reached him; Poppypaw was feeling nervous, but he could smell her excitement too. Neither of them wanted to be in the other's body a heart beat longer than they needed.

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Poppypaw hoped Jaypaw was following behind, she couldn't bear to waste any more time as the grouchy medicine cat apprentice, not when she was supposed to be training full-time to become a warrior. It couldn't be many more moons until the ceremony was held, and she didn't want to have to be held behind Honeypaw and Cinderpaw, she'd never hear the end of it!

"You seem a bit nervous tonight, Jaypaw," mewed Leafpool.

Poppypaw flicked her tail in a dismissive way, "You know, just want to hear what's happening with Starclan," she mewed.

Leafpool stopped walking for a heartbeat, and Poppypaw could feel her eyes looking at her.

"Well, um, it's useful, you know…" she mewed feebly. Leafpool started walking again, but Poppypaw wasn't sure she was convinced.

"I wonder what Starclan will share with us at the moon pole," she mewed, trying to distract the medicine cat.

"Moon _pole_?" asked Leafpool, laughter edging her mew.

_Fox dung_! Thought Poppypaw, what a **stupid** thing to say.

"Uh, oops," she mewed, "Slip of the tongue."

Leafpool purred, flicking Poppypaw's pelt with her tail, "You're very distracted today, Jaypaw, I hope you gain some peace of mind from Starclan, or I'll have to whack some sense into you with a stiff rabbit."

Poppypaw purred gratefully, at least Leafpool wasn't getting too suspicious about why she wasn't a bit like Jaypaw. _Well, it's hard to act that moody unless you're him_, she thought.

They walked in silence until the edge of Thunderclan territory, where they met Mothwing and Minnowpaw from Riverclan, and Barkface and Kestrelpaw of Windclan.

"Where's Littlecloud?" wondered Leafpool aloud, but almost as soon as she'd said it Poppypaw scented Shadowclan. A heartbeat later Littlecloud mewed a greeting to the other medicine cats.

They set off again, and Poppypaw felt the landscape changing underneath her paws. The thick leaves of the woodland thinned into grass, and then finally her paws felt stone underneath them, rough and unyielding.

Soon Poppypaw's legs began to ache. _How on earth does Jaypaw manage this climb with such weak limbs_? She thought angrily.

After more pawsteps than she could endure they came to a halt, Poppypaw gasping for breath.

"Let's wait for the moon to reach overhead," suggested Littlecloud. The other medicine cats mewed agreement, and started to settle down on the rocks to wait.

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Jaypaw followed the other cats determinedly. The journey was much easier with Poppypaw's finely honed muscles and eyesight.

_I'm not going to fall down a rabbit hole this time_, thought Jaypaw smugly.

He dropped further back when the medicine cats lay down to wait. Watching the sky, he saw why it was called the half moon. It looked as if a hungry mouse had come and nibbled away half of the moon and no cat had thought to replace it.

Finally the other's stood up again, stretching their legs, and padded down into the cave. Jaypaw watched his body stumble blindly down the slope leading to the pool of brilliant water below. Did he really look that pathetic normally?

Shaking his head clear, he padded down the slope after them, pausing halfway to peer down. All the cats were fast asleep, noses touched to the water. Mothwing's paws twitched as if she was dreaming of running. Jaypaw wrinkled his nose – she probably was.

At the bottom of the slope he saw Poppypaw sleeping, fur matted where she couldn't see to wash it. _Which is really no excuse_, Jaypaw thought, _I manage just fine_.

Resisting the overwhelming urge to groom Poppypaw's pelt, he lay down beside her and stretched his thoughts out to take in her dream.

He was in the moon pool again, and for a heartbeat thought he hadn't fallen asleep at all, when he noticed his paws were grey.

Padding up to Poppypaw, now in her normal body, he prodded her with a paw.

"Jaypaw?" she mewed, then sat up, "Am I back in my normal body now?"

Jaypaw shook his head, "not yet, we're just dreaming. A special dream sent by Starclan, yes, but still a dream."

"Oh," sighed Poppypaw, "Who's that?"

Jaypaw spun round, "Spottedleaf," he mewed, unenthusiastically.

"How nice to see you too, Jaypaw," she replied, "and Poppypaw, you too. Now, I think you'll both agree it's time you went back into your own bodies."

"Yes!" they mewed together.

"But first, I want you to think about what you have learnt by being away from your own body."

"Yeah, I couldn't catch a mouse even if I could see," muttered Jaypaw darkly.

Spottedleaf looked at him incredulously, "actually, Jaypaw, you have learnt that having sight isn't as good as it may seem and that the life you lead now is better suited to you than the life of a warrior. As for you, Poppypaw, you've learnt valuable compassion skills, and I hope you continue to think of others and how they feel."

As she finished, Spottedleaf stepped forwards to the two cats, and touched each of their noses, "now, go."

Everything went dark.


End file.
